The New Guy
by TheNerdyAvenger
Summary: Let me start this by saying that I'm no Demi-God, like Thor. Nor am I an impressively temperamental time-bomb like Banner. Hell I don't even have armor or scary martial arts skills. I'm a kid that was in New York on vacation, I just happened to be in the wrong Starbucks. T for mild swearing. At this point not much else.
1. Chapter 1

My parents had always told me to be nice to people that provide me with goods and/or services. And I followed that rule, I mean I didn't want anyone spitting in my food so why not. Anyway I used to work at a coffee shop so I know how boring it can get, and that if you just stand around when your coffee is being made you look like a complete tool.

Not knowing what else to do I started talking to her. The only other people in the shop had already gotten their coffees.

"Hi, what's up?" I started.

"Not much just making some coffee."

"That's cool," Not really but it's her job I'm not going to insult it.

"Not really but thanks for saying so."

"Anytime," I saw her name tag then, "Rose. That's a pretty name by the way."

For half a moment she was startled. Then she must've remembered the small weight clipped to the front of her shirt stating 'Hello, my name is ROSE'.

"Thanks, it was my grandmothers. Yours is rather... interesting, SSgt Max Mayhem."

"It's from a book," I said as way of explanation, "my real name is far more subtle."

"I was hoping so. So what is it?"

"What is what?"

"Your name."

"Oh right, it's..." I couldn't answer her. Not that I didn't know my name or that I didn't want her to know. The name I put on my cup was to be funny. I just had a feeling that something was going to happen. Something I couldn't explain. "Get down."

"What?"

"Get down, now!" I jumped over the counter, knocking down several coffee related things, and pushed Rose down behind the counter. And not a moment to soon, because before the condiments and spices hit the floor, and before my head struck the ground, a car that was parked in front of the building exploded into a raging inferno.

Rose's scream of indignation changed to one of shock and fear, and was drowned out by the concussive shock wave from the explosion. I never heard it, my head had broken my fall and I'd lost consciousness before I felt Roses arms wrap around me.

Be sure to leave a review telling me if you like this story.

Also feel free to suggest chapter titles. Cause I suck at those. The one I think is best shall be chosen and the person responsible will be given credit.


	2. Chapter 2

When I finally regained my sense of self I was on a stretcher with a neck brace on. The nurses that were wheeling me into an ambulance told me to stay still and to not be scared. I didn't hear to them due to the ringing in my ears. Questions raced through my head as they closed the doors, what the hell happened, is everyone okay, what happened to the couple by the window, what happened to Rose. That sort of thing. I didn't really worry about my self much seeing as I knew I was still breathing and thinking.

"What happened?" I asked this to the male medic to the left of my stretcher, but it was probably incomprehensible because of the neck guard. Also my mouth wasn't acting right, it felt numb. They must've drugged me so I wouldn't feel pain. Which was weird because they don't usually do that for concussions, they want to make certain your brain functions are normal. I must've been in worse shape than I thought I was.

"Don't talk, son there was an explosion," I already knew that much genius, "you hurt your head," there must be a school for the kind of observational skills you have, "you're in an ambulance," no comment, "the barista is okay your body shielded hers from the blast," thank you for finally being useful, "you'll be okay."

I stopped listening to him. I doubt he said anything I didn't already know at any rate.

I just really wanted to know why I was being drugged when I wasn't supposed to be feeling pain. I didn't bother asking Caretaker Obvious. My mouth wouldn't work right any way.

A few moments later I lost consciousness again. I woke up in a hospital bed. A proper doctor walked to my bed and asked the usual questions, name, age, insurance provider, the normal stuff. Fortunately I had apparently metabolized the drug inhibiting the use of my mouth enough to actually string together the answers. When he had finished asking for my information I asked him about why they had drugged me. He said that they were making certain that I didn't move any more than was necessary. I told him I understood though I really didn't and he walked away.

A few minutes later a woman with shoulder length blond hair wearing a business suit walked in with a briefcase in one hand. She shut the door after she walked in.

"I'm Agent Marquez with Homeland Security," When she said this she flashed a badge slow enough that I could see it but quick enough that I couldn't actually read it. "I'm collecting statements from the witnesses of the explosion. I'd like to ask you a few questions and get your story of what happened if you wouldn't mind."

"No anything I can do to help, was this terrorists or something?"

"No, as of right now we are not inclined to believe as such but it is possible. In your own words would you kindly give your account of what happened?"

It was worded as a question, but I didn't think I had much of a choice in the matter.

"I'm not certain what information I can give you, I wasn't looking in that direction. I was chatting with the barista."

"That's strange."

"What?"

"We have the statement from the barista, stating that you told her to get behind cover before the blast."

"Yeah I did, I didn't know why, but I'm glad I did."

"It was good timing."

"I suppose so."

"It does seem a little suspicious though I must admit, that you would just happen to know when to get behind cover."

"You don't honestly believe that I had anything to do with this, do you?"

"I'm saying that it appears that way."

"Agent Marquez, I will tell you now that I had nothing to do with the explosion. I just had a funny feeling."

"Let me get this straight, you want me to believe that there was just a funny feeling and it told you to jump behind the counter just as a car exploded. That doesn't read well..." A hand touched her shoulder and she fell silent. A tall black guy who I didn't see walk in asked her to leave. When she refused he muttered something about shields to her. I could all but see the little clouds at her feet when she ran from the room with her tail between her legs.

"I hate Feds that get in the way," he said as he took his seat where she had been sitting. "They always assume they know more than everyone. I'm Col. Nick Fury. I'm the director of The Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate otherwise referred to as S.H.I.E.L.D. We are basically here to ensure that the world keeps on spinning."

"Um, hello. Am I being arrested?"

"No. But I will have to take you into protective custody. The things we have to talk about aren't safe here."

It felt like I was being arrested.

It wasn't said outright but I knew that I shouldn't speak as some nurses wheeled me out. They looked the same as any other except that the scrubs they were wearing had a bird emblem on the shoulder like I saw on Director Fury's. Also they weren't talking to me either, which really drove home that I probably shouldn't speak to them. I was getting a real 'speak only when spoken to' attitude about this whole thing and I felt I should obey.

The SHEILD nurses carted me into an ambulance that had walls that were thicker than I would've noticed. It was after I got out and was informed about it that I actually noticed it. What was so important about me that I was escorted into an armored ambulance and escorted out. It surely didn't take five people to more one gurney. And those people really didn't need to be armed to do it either. Because I didn't have anything to see aside from the person in front of me I decided to try and see what I could tell from his back. About average height. About average build. Short auburn hair. Suspicious bulge on his right hip?

I didn't want there to be five pistols around me. But I didn't feel as though they were going to use them on me though. Another weird feeling went down my spine, different than last time but sort of... related I guess. Strange.

We walked down several long hallways and through even more nondescript corridors the most exciting thing that happened is some very battered people in outfits walked past us. One guy was literally wearing a cape. And he had what looked like spiced mustard on his cheek. The nurses gave them a wide berth and looked awed. They certainly wouldn't pull their guns on them. The guy in blue side-stepped a little closer to the woman in leather, the guy with the bow noticed this. He looked like he wanted to say something but held his tongue when she side-stepped a little closer to the man in blue.

"The Avengers!" One of the nurses muttered under his breath. "I can't believe I actually got to see them!"

"Me neither!" A female nurse responded.

Avengers? What exactly are they avenging? And were the superfluous outfits required? I held my tongue though. No need to question their parade.

After I began to wonder if the people leading me were just as lost as I was the guy in front of me used a key card to open a door and the rest followed him in. It was a circular room with a desk and a pair of chairs on either side.

Oh shit, it was an interrogation room. As though reading my mind the lady (or man with a fairly feminine voice) calmed me down by saying 'don't worry this is just the only room not currently in use. You aren't being questioned, Commander Fury just wants to speak with you privately.' Which was helpful. The five people around me then made their ways to each corner of an invisible pentagram in the circular room.

"What's with all the body guards? I can't be that important."

The guard to the right of me responded saying 'you are a special case' he didn't elaborate so I figured it was either above his pay grade or he wasn't supposed to tell me. I still wanted for someone to actually tell me what the hell was going on, but they were going to be stiff lipped.

Maybe half a million years later Commander Fury walked in and dismissed the five nurse/guard/people. I couldn't help it I had to make a smart ass quip.

"So long my friends. Thank you all so much for the greatly intelligent conversation. Parting is such sweet sorrow."  
That got them to break their bearing. I think. I was facing away from the door.  
But I know Commander Fury laughed, well more of a chuckle.

"They aren't much for conversation. Sorry about that. They just aren't comfortable in their roles yet. What do you want to know?"

The sudden conversation was a touch startling.

"Why am I here? What's so important about me? Where am I? What is SHIELD?"

I don't deal well with not being told things as soon as I thought I should know them.

"How about I answer those one at a time. You're here because I needed a safe place to talk to you. You are important to us because you've done something strange and we want to know how. You are in a secure building that is a front for our operations. SHIELD is an agency that manages the affairs of several countries. To over simplify things we are the security services for the United States and several friendly countries."

"Like the military?"

"Kind of. But with a lot more power. To simplify things again SHIELD might as well be its own independent country."

Another shake went down my spine. He wasn't lying, but he wasn't telling me the whole truth either. He had his reasons in sure, I still wanted to know. I figured he'd probably tell me on his terms.

"Is there anything else you would like to know?"

"What is so strange about me?"

He waited. He waited so long that I began to worry that he was going to diagnose me with some terrible disease, like pancreatic cancer or something.

"That's what we would like to know."

Somehow, that was even worse. 

Be sure to leave a review telling me if you like this story.

Also feel free to suggest chapter titles. Cause I suck at those. The one I think is best shall be chosen and the person responsible will be given credit. 


	3. Chapter 3

I was allowed off of the gurney and I also got my neck brace off after a brief check up by one of SHIELDs medical advisers. Apparently the guys SHIELD brings in are about fifty times more superior to the ones at the local hospitals because they were able to realize that just because I hit my head doesn't mean I had neck damage. Thank god, that brace was getting irritating.  
The woman in leather and the man in blue were in there when I was examined. The woman had suffered a head wound that looked a bit recent. She must've been all right though because she was carrying on a conversation with the blue guy.

"Steve," Blue-guy now has a name. Cool. "I'm fine it isn't as bad as it looks. Cuts on the head rarely are."

"I realize that Agent Romanov," Leather-lady had one too. "Doesn't mean I can't worry about it. I'm old school like that."

"I wonder why. I think it is proper for you to call me Natasha, lose the 'Agent' at least. I mean we just saved New York."

Huh.

"I think we've got an eavesdropper."

Oh crap.

"I do too."

Double crap.

"What's your name son?"

I realized that he was talking to me but my brain couldn't put two-and-two together to realize that I should respond.

Fortunately my mouth runs on auto-pilot sometimes.

"David Blackstone. Sorry about that. It's a bad habit."

"It's alright." Agent Romanov said. I wasn't going to refer to her by her first name until I got to actually know her. If I got to know her, she seemed to be like a celebrity. Both of them actually. "Sometimes it can pay off. I'm Natasha Romanov." She introduced herself to me that way I will refer to her as that.

"I'm Steve Rogers." They both had a slightly puzzled look. Steve walked forward and offered his hand. I shook it.

I didn't realize it but I had just made the acquaintance of real life superheroes.

We chatted about nothing much while a doctor sewed the cut on Natasha's head shut. Her hair would cover the small scar that would appear.

"So what are you doing here?" Natasha asked, "I don't mean to be rude but my reason is obvious, and Steve is playing the protective 1940's role." At this Steve turned a bit pink and looked away. I didn't see it but Natasha did. Natasha has to many syllables, Tasha it is then.

"There was an explosion. I jumped behind a counter and hit my head. Knocked over the cashier lady in the process." I told them the truth, maybe not the correct order but the correct order was just a touch unexplainable . They would've believed it had I known what they had just gotten through. But I didn't know.

"That's impressive." Steve said.

"It is. But that's not quite what I meant. What are you doing here, in SHIELD Headquarters?"

Oh, that.

"I don't know." Truth. "Commander Fury told me he wanted to talk to me in a safe place. I didn't question him, he seems imposing."

They shared a look. Something in that look said that they fully understood what I was talking about, and a whole lot more.

"That's probably the smart thing to do. But it might not be the right thing."Steve said. Natasha didn't say anything.

"Why is that?"

"Fury is..."

"...Not totally trustworthy. He left out information that would've been vital to the understanding of our mission." Natasha finished for him.

"Mission?"

"You didn't happen to pass out when you hit your head did you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"That explains quite a bit. While you were passed-out an alien race invaded New York."

"Oh." I tried to some what subtly look around for the name of the room I was in. Maybe I was psychological care and no-one told me. No such luck.

"What are you doing?" Natasha asked.

"Nothing just wondering what section of the building I'm in."

"Why?" Steve asked.

"Because you guys have got to be either joking or insane."

Natasha looked as though she were about to try and kick my ass. Steve just chuckled.

"I bet you ten bucks its true."

I didn't say anything. I didn't have to a nurse turned on the TV and said "pay up."

I didn't say anything again. This time not out of indignation but out of shock and dismay. The first thing

I saw was a woman in a very battered T-shirt being interviewed by a man whose hair screamed _I'm absolutely not compensating for anything!_ you could tell the woman was at least a little concerned about it but she didn't want to deflate his ego.

The nurse had turned the TV on mid-conversation but I didn't really care about what they were saying because draped over the railing behind them was a purple humanoid... thing. there was an arrow sticking out of the aliens ass and its hand (which had far too many fingers) was clutching it as though it got shot in the ass and then the face. Which would've been hilarious but behind the humiliated alien I could see the buildings on one side of the street and there was like a humongous rolly-polly like alien sticking out of the third of fourth floor of one of the buildings.

"Oh Clint." Natasha said as I slowly reached into my back pocket for my wallet.

"The world gets weird when you sleep. Right Cap'?" Commander Fury had apparently walked into the ward when we were distracted.

"Yes sir. Indeed it does. I was kidding when i made that bet." I had just offered him the tenner and now I was sheepishly putting it back.

"I see that you've already met some of the team."

I assumed that he was referring to the rest of the brightly colored "avengers" that I saw in the hallway. "More or less, sir." I didn't feel much like talking. But my mind has very little control over my mouth sometimes. "Sheesh aliens invade the planet and where am I? Unconscious on top of a Starbucks barrista."

They all started to laugh. Fury more readily than the others but only because he knew the full story. Or at least most of it. Hell, I still don't know the full story.

"What was that? Unconscious on a barrista, is this a thing now or am I just confused?" Steve asked.

"No Steve it isn't a thing now, I'm just as confused as you are." Tasha responded.

"David here shielded a waitress from an explosion with his body. As a result he was knocked out."  
Fury wasn't telling them the whole story and I sensed that they knew that. I didn't know but I felt compelled to tell them at least what I knew.

"It wasn't exactly like that," Fury turned his head in my direction, "see I was talking with Rose, her uh her name was Rose, when I got a weird feeling like someone had just blown on my neck and I.. I just sort of knew that something bad was going to happen. So I told her to get behind cover and when she didn't I sort of tackled her jumping over the counter and knocking over all sorts of crap as well. I hit my head and when I woke up I had the worlds most useless nurse telling me everything I already knew. I finally learned what happened from a woman that basically accused me of everything except defaulting on my taxes."

They all stared at me. Steve and Tasha actually had open mouths (side note Steve actually had a bit of drool coming from the corner of his mouth) Fury had his mouth closed. I couldn't meet his eye. I think he felt that I had disobeyed an unspoken command.

"I hadn't initially planned on telling them that." Shit,now I was in for it. "Not until I received permission," Here it comes. "From you." WaitWhatDidYouJustSay? "I figured it Might be in their best interest for them to know about you. And what you might be able to do."

"What do you mean?"

"I've got a feeling that what you experienced before the car exploded wasn't a confined event. Have you ever heard of Extrasensory Perception?"

"ESP? You mean like psychics? Like," I put my fingers up to my temples, "You are thinking of a three. That kind of thing?"

"More along the lines of I pull a card out of a deck and you can tell me the number and suit."

"Oh, yeah. Why, you think that's what caused me to tackle Rose?"

"I and several others are beginning to think so."

"Oh." 

Be sure to leave a review telling me if you like this story.

Also feel free to suggest chapter titles. Cause I suck at those. The one I think is best shall be chosen and the person responsible will be given credit.


	4. Chapter 4

Fury, Steve, Natasha, and I walked down several long and nondescript hallways taking the occasional left or right at Fury's instruction. Fury was in front leading all of us to the rest of The Avengers, Steve and Tasha were in front of me subconsciously bumping into each other when ever we took a turn.

I was seriously considering just stopping where I was to see if anyone would notice or if they'd all keep playing this building sized game of Snake when Col. Fury led us down a stair case and into a room with a large couch, several comfortable looking chairs and four very tired people playing Monopoly.

The blond guy in a cape had lost his cape and was moving the iron four spaces and onto the guy with a goatee's property. I could tell all this because Blondie was counting out each space and handed goatee guy $1500 when he stopped.

"Damned hotel." There was a spark when he touched the little metal figurine.

"Hey easy Thor you chose this game."

"A hotel on Park Place, Tony that's low." Natasha said.

"Just how I like to play." He replied. Hooray a chance to call these guys by something other than Blondie and goatee guy!

"You're telling me." The quiet guy said. He looked like he had been beaten a bit more than the other guys. "I've only got thirteen dollars left thanks to that hotel."

"Bruce you lost your money when he only had three houses." Bow-man said, wait didn't Tasha say he was Clint? Or was that just the fact I saw an arrow? I'm gonna say both.

"Who are you?" Tony asked.

"David Blackstone, pleased to meet you." I walked forward to shake his hand, "Tony was it?"

"Tony Stark, yes." He replied taking my hand in his.

"Thor Odin-son," Thor said. "pleased to make your acquaintance Midgardian." I shook his hand even though I was thoroughly confused about the whole 'Midgradian' thing.

"Hello."

"Don't worry about him he's from.. out of town. I'm Bruce, Bruce Banner." He paused a bit before saying his name.

"Clint Barton. Why don't you sit down?" Tony's feet were on the table in front of the seat beside him so Clint pushed them away so I could sit. Friendly guy.

"Thanks."

"Your turn Legolas."

Barton rolled a five and landed on his own space. He bought another house.

"Hey Stark." Steve asked.

"Yup?"

"When you shot at my shield, how did you know that would work?"

"Cap. I have ten years of experience in engineering. I have a super-genius level IQ. And..."

"You guessed. Didn't you?" I decided to say. He was rambling and I figured that he'd keep talking until no-one cared abut the question anymore.

"...Yes I did. How would you know?"

"I don't really know. Good guess."

"Mr. Blackstone, I'm afraid can't stay right now. We have some testing to do."

"But I just sat down!" I said in my most childlike voice. Fury cracked a smile.I got up from my seat. Stark put his feet back up.

"I'm exhausted," Natasha said ."See you soon David." She left the room and Steve's eyes followed her out. Clint's were staring at Steve.

I followed Commander Fury out of the room bidding the rest of the Avengers goodbye.

Sorry it's short didn't have much time as I was writing it

Be sure to leave a review telling me if you like this story.

Also feel free to suggest chapter titles. Cause I suck at those. The one I think is best shall be chosen and the person responsible will be given credit.


	5. Chapter 5

"We are going to be testing your extra-sensory awareness." Fury informed me as we walked down even more nondescript corridors.

"How?"

"Have you ever been to Westchester?"

"Um.. no."

"Well we have some friends that might be able to help us figure you out."

"Oh great! A shrink."

Fury actually had to use a wall to support himself he was laughing so hard.  
"Oh hell no! He knows more about the human mind than any half witted psychologist ever could. A shrink, hah good one!" He kept chuckling all the way to a helicopter pad where two of my "nurses" from earlier were standing. Now without the medical scrubs and with their sidearms exposed to the world.

"My old friends! I thought I'd never see you again!"

I reached out my arms and embraced them both as though it had been years since I saw them last. They both laughed and hugged me back with almost the same intensity.

Fury had an amused expression but the pilot was just curious as to what the hell was happening.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this little get together but The Professor is waiting."

The Professor? Oh boy this was going to be a shrink. I'll just be on my guard for if he starts asking about my mother.

It wasn't the longest trip I'd ever been on but it certainly wasn't the shortest either. I got to know the not-nurses names. Brain Paulson and Bridgett Gardener. The pilot and co-pilot weren't much for talking.

Also I got to figure out who this professor guy was. His name was apparently his name was Xavier, Charles Xavier. He owned and ran a school full of mutants.

He was a psychic and a fairly good one if Fury figured that he'd be able to figure out what's up with my head. He also had a machine that was called Cerebro. I didn't know what that machine was but Fury had a gleam in his eye when he mentioned it.

Oh boy.

When we landed the sun was about to set. I looked around at the giant mansion that served as a school/super-sexy-secret-mutant-training-ground. Fury knocked on the front door and i snickered.

What, you wouldn't expect to just knock on the front door of an institute most military organizations don't know about.

A small girl with pigtails and what looked like jelly on her mouth opened the door followed by a man that was at least fifty feet taller than I was. He had a Russian accent as he told the girl not to open the door for strangers. He picked her up and held her with one arm.

"Sorry Peter." The girl said. She kissed him with one of those big open mouthed kiddy kisses. There was a ring of jelly on Peters cheek.

"It's okay Ellie you've just gotta remember." He put her on the ground and turned to us. "Hello?"

"Hello I'm Commander Furry with SHIELD. Professor Xavier was expecting us."

"May I see some sort of ID please." Fury, Paulson and Gardener flashed their badges. I showed my library card. "He's teaching a class right now. Please wait inside."

When we walked inside I promptly stepped on a toy Ellie must've left when Peter set her down. Speaking of Peter he made his way down a corridor to what was probably a bathroom or a kitchen to wipe away the jelly ring Ellie left. I picked it up and looked at it and then around the room we were in for Ellie. She was in the corner opposite the door watching us.

I offered her the toy and she took it. I smiled at her as she took the toy. She giggled, waved, and ran out a different hallway bumping into a kind looking bald man in a wheelchair.

"Elizabeth did you know that you have grape jelly all over your mouth?" He said as he pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket.

"Yeah I did! I'm saving it for later!"

She squirmed as the kind man cleaned her mouth with the cloth.

"I was being rhetorical."

"Whasat mean Professor?"

"Don't worry about it dear. I'll tell you later. In the mean time would you like to sit on my lap while I greet our guests?"

"Okay!"

She climbed into his lap and gave him another open mouthed kiss that little kids are so famous for.

"Pardon the delay. I was teaching tenth graders a basic physics class. A chore for both parties."

"Amen!" I readily agreed.

"Hello, and just might you be?"

"David Blackstone," I said reaching forward to take his hand. "I assume you are Professor Xavier?"

_"That I am."_ I heard it... But not with my ears... And his lips didn't move.

"So what Commander Fury told me was true. _You are a psychic!_"

_"I prefer the term telepath. But that is the basic principle._ Nick, it is good to see you again."

"Good to see you too Charles. How's the school going?"

"It's going as well as it can. Especially with little ones like Ellie here keeping me at the edge of my seat."

_"Ha ha."_ I thought.

_"What I thought it was quite funny."_

I shook my hand in a 'so-so' manner.

"Ellie I believe our guest and I have some business we need to attend to. Why don't you go and find Ororo or Jean."

"Okay! Bye-bye Professor!" She left him with yet another open mouthed kiss on the cheek.  
He started to lead us to his office beckoning me mentally to follow him.

"Cute kid. Yours?"

"Legally and personally she is."

"What?"

"When she was two years old her mother left her all but at our doorstep."

"That's terrible!"  
"Not if you realize what she was going through at the time." I didn't realize it but Fury, Paulson and Gardener had all stayed behind at the entry way. "You see her ex-husband was abusive and she had stage-4 liver cancer. She had no other relatives and she did not want her daughter to go into an orphanage or into foster care. So she left Ellie with me."

"Oh."

"Yes."

"Was she a..."

"A mutant? No dear boy. Just a friend. A dear old friend."

I didn't feel like prying.  
_  
"Thank you, David."_

_"For what?"_  
_  
"Respecting my privacy. There are some your age who are not so considerate. Especially those with abilities such as yourself."_  
_  
"What do you mean?"_

_"Do you believe that I've been reading your thoughts this entire time?"_

I didn't reply. And I didn't have to as he started laughing. A deep full bellied laugh.  
_  
"My boy you've been projecting your thoughts into my head from the moment you walked in! That's normally a very difficult thing to do on purpose, and you've been doing it by accident!"_ He started laughing again and this time I laughed with him.

_"I thought you were just that powerful!"_  
_  
"Oh I am. But I try to never enter someone else's head without permission. That is one of the worst things that can happen, an unwanted intruder inside your own mind."_

I made a mental note of that.  
Maybe this whole thing wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Be sure to leave a review telling me if you like this story.

Also feel free to suggest chapter titles. Cause I suck at those. The one I think is best shall be chosen and the person responsible will be given credit.


	6. Chapter 6

_"I'm not certain if I need to test you to see if you have powers anymore now that you've already shown that you could easily get inside my head David."_ The Professor thought into my head.

_"I don't think Fury brought me here for telepathy. I think he brought me here because I dodged the car bomb." _ I let him see everything relating to what happened. From the weird feeling before the explosion to the conversation between me and Fury.

"**WHAT!"** He thought and said simultaneously.

_"What? Haven't you ever had a psychic like me before?"_  
_  
"No. I haven't."_

I was silent. Mentally and physically. The Professor looked around for me because I had stopped walking and he had continued on.

"Oh great."

"What?"

"I'm a Freak among freaks."

"Now listen here David. You are strange. I have nev..."

"Hey don't worry._ I like being strange._" I could see where his speech was going and I didn't need another 'You're a beautiful snowflake' story. The message had sunk in. "_It's called being awesome."_  
_  
"Yes, yes it is."_

We continued down the hallway and The Professor stopped in front of a section of wall that just barely stuck out further than the rest.  
_  
"Would you be so kind as to call the elevator?"_ He projected a picture of the wall into my head and made a small portion of the wood trim glow showing me where to push.

When I touched the section of wall signified the wall slid to the left revealing the elevator."Sweet hidden elevator."

_"You like? My friend designed it."_

_"Tell them they did a good job."_ A cloud of sadness touched my mind but again I didn't pry. The Professor could tell me his stories when he wanted to.

We got in and immediately the door closed and it took us down. The door opened again to a metal hallway with a few circular doors on either side of the elevator.  
_  
"Excellent!"_

_"This is where those who have grown too old to be taught train against any threat that we may face. Also this is where my office is._" He wheeled forward and turned right. I followed him past a few of the circular doors. Out of curiosity I looked at some of the labels of the doors we were passing. They were labeled with the names of (I'm guessing) the other professors. Except for the one across from "Jean Greys" office. That one was labeled 'Danger Room.' I'm guessing that was the training room Professor mentioned.

I thought better of trying to enter it and followed The Professor into his office. It was a very nice office as offices go. The wall to my right was covered in books. Some very thin and some thicker than my fist.

The books reached all the way to the ceiling. Weird. I would assume that they would end where the professor could comfortably reach them.

I turned to ask Prof. Xavier about it and when I did I felt a bump on the back of my head. I turned back to see if there was someone else in the room only to see the bookshelves holding the mass of literature. I felt another bump and turned around to see the professor making tea.

"Would you like some tea? Chamomile."

"Sure? What is that bum..." Another bump! I jerked my head to that direction and saw nothing but a vase.

"What's that what?"

"That bumping!" I twisted my head to look behind me and saw a thick book just floating in the air. Held up by nothing just floating. I looked over at The Professor and when I did the book hit me again!

"Professor!"

"What?"

The book hit me again this time on my face! I grabbed for it only for it to float out of my reach and back to its place at the top of the shelf. The Professor started to laugh again this time at my expense instead of laughing with me.

"Were you doing that?" He started laughing even harder.

This was certainly going to be an interesting experience. That's for certain.

Thank you very much for reading. Please leave a review telling me what you think of this.

Also feel free to leave possible chapter titles (cause I suck at those). The one I like best I'll choose. Also I'll be Sure to give proper credit to the person who makes the chapter title.


	7. Chapter 7

I thought my way into his head to figure out what the hell was going on.

I can not accurately describe the feeling of being inside of someone else's head. All of my senses felt off.

All of the colors I felt were normal were entirely new. You know how whenever someone says that human imagination is infinite and then some ass-hat is all like 'if imagination is infinite than imagine a new color' it was like I was seeing new colors!

And my sense of proprioception was all off like I was being compressed and stretched out at the same time. I couldn't feel anything below "my" navel. Well I now knew why Xavier was in the wheelchair. The sensation was so jarring that I couldn't stay inside of Xaviers head.

When I felt my consciousness re-enter my head I realized that my body had slumped over and was leaning over the bookshelves. I was in shock but I could still feel every nerve on my body like they were on fire. My eyes were wide open but all I could see was sort of a very bright darkness. Like how your eyes adjust to a total darkness given enough time and those weird spots that dot your vision if you were to stare at a light. I could hear the whine of the motor on Xaviers wheelchair as though I were at a Metallica concert and every amplifier was aimed at my head.

My skin revolted when a shortish hairy guy picked me up to bring me to the medical room. My lungs started burning when he picked me up and didn't stop until a red-headed woman stuck an IV into my arm.

I didn't wake up for three days after that.

When I finally woke up the only clothing I had on was the boxers I was wearing when I went to buy my coffee what felt like years ago. I had an odd skin tight cap on that had more wires running from it than I could care to count. I had even more wires and sensors all along my body and spine.

When I tried to move the monitors around me started beeping. The red headed woman put a hand on my shoulder hesitantly, like she didn't want to hurt me.

"Where am I?" I asked. "Am I still in the mansion? **Where's the Professor? Did I hurt him?"**

"You are still in the mansion, you're just in our medical wing."

_"You didn't hurt me I'm teaching a lesson upstairs I'll be down shortly."_ I heard from the Professor.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Jean Grey. I'm a professor here but occasionally I sometimes act as a doctor for the school."

"Why shouldn't I move?"

She quirked her eyebrow and her mouth twitched probably forming a question of her own when she remembered her hand on my shoulder. She moved it away.

"What purpose do these sensors serve and can I remove them?"

"They basically feel what you feel wherever they are placed, and yes you can remove them. Allow me to help they are a bit fragile and they aren't the cheapest of things."

Before we started removing them Jean grabbed a padded box from a counter holding various other medical supplies I had no hope of ever naming accurately.

"Why are these even necessary?" I was curious as to why someone would want to know what I was feeling.

"Do you not remember anything?"

"Not sense I tried to read Xaviers thoughts."

"What do you remember about that?" Her posture changed slightly. She had another question she wanted to ask I'm certain I didn't even have to try and read her mind.

"I felt all of my senses... shift I want to say. Like I was seeing new colors and feeling new things. I can't really explain it"

"I could be wrong here but I believe that in trying to read Charles' mind you accidentally forced your consciousness into his body."

"That is precisely what happened Jean."

"Professor! My god I am so sorry I didn't mean to, I didn't hurt you did I..."

"I'm quite alright David." He said with a calming gesture of his hands. "I didn't even realize what happened until I saw the readings the monitors and made a deduction. Now that I've heard what happened from you I can say with certainty that you did as Jean said."

I wasn't looking at her but if I were facing Jean I would see her looking incredulously back and forth between me and the Professor.

"Professor what happened after I got out of your head?"

"You collapsed and when you did I shouted. Logan, the man who carried you here heard my shout and carried you to here. The moment he touched your skin you started screaming. Both mentally and physically. You nearly caused Logan to drop you. His hearing is quite sensitive."

He went on to describe the details of what happened. The details that as he described them started to resurface and I had to lie down due to the intensity of the memories.

"I'd like to ask you a question. It might be difficult for you to answer but I want you to answer as honestly as you can. How difficult was it for you to transfer you're consciousness?"

_"As easy as doing this."_ I responded. He slowly turned his head to Jean keeping his eyes on me. He kept them on me for a good fifteen seconds without blinking before he turned them to Jean with the rest of his head.

Their faces mimed expressions as though they were having a conversation but I couldn't hear them. I didn't want to try and hear their mental conversation one because if they wanted me to hear their conversation they would speak, and two because I didn't want to spend another three days comatose.

I got up to look for my clothes because it was extremely awkward to be sitting around in front of two people I barely knew in just my boxers. Neither Jean or Charles seemed to notice. I opened several drawers before I heard the hesitant voice of Jean tell me to not look in the closet I was about to open a brief picture of the lab showed in my mind. The picture moved turning towards the large circular door the professor came through. It continued to another circular door across the hall from the Professors large circular door.

_"Thanks."_ I thought back to her as I followed the path she had laid out in my mind.

The room she had sent me to was to the right of The Danger Room. The door to it actually opened up as i walked by and I almost walked in before looking down at my legs and realizing that whatever was in there probably required pants.

The room I was supposed to go to was labeled 'Logan'. Just Logan no last name or anything. I thought it was weird. But what was even weirder was the lack of anything in Logans room. There was a bed and a chest of drawers but that was it. My clothes were on top of the bed and when I saw them I put them on with haste eager to see what was behind the door to the danger room.

I had just put on my shoes when a very hairy short guy walked into the room. He was sweaty like he had just gotten done with a good workout.

"So you're up again. Damn near killed me with all that hollering."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Hey bub, you okay?"

"Yeah I'm good now."

"Are you certain? Only time I've ever heard something scream like that was when it was hurting real bad."He looked for whatever reason like a man that rarely ever showed concern But he sure as hell looked that way now.

"I'm not certain about the details but I'm fine now."

"Okay then." I didn't even have to read his mind. His Face said enough about his disbelief.

"Thanks for carrying me back there."

"No problem."

I left so he could change or whatever he came in there to do.

I didn't want to interfere with Jean and Charles' conversation and I didn't want to disturb Logan so I turned to my left and entered The Danger Room.

Thank you very much for reading. Please leave a review telling me what you think of this.

Also feel free to leave possible chapter titles (cause I suck at those). The one I like best I'll choose. Also I'll be Sure to give proper credit to the person who makes the chapter title.


	8. Chapter 8

The door opened to a large circular room. If I had to guess I'd say that the radius was about a hundred yards and the ceiling was about ten feet up. I was sensing a trend with all of the circles and chrome.

There wasn't much that was dangerous about this room I mean come on it was a circular prism. I walked to the center of the room not noticing that grid-like lasers were following me. when I reached the approximate center of the room I turned around slowly, trying to decern what was so dangerous.  
When my eyes passed the halfway point on the wall I finally saw the laser grid. It startled me and I jumped into a different laser behind me. When I did the danger room doors closed and all the lights shut off.

"Shit!" The lights turned a deep red and i saw several large humanoid figures. "Shit!"

I crouched hoping that what ever the hell these things were they weren't smart enough to know that i had no clue as to what I was doing.

I sensed movement behind me and jumped down and to my right as the humanoid behind me slashed from top right to bottom left. I landed in front of another which chopped downward with both hands. I placed both of my feet on its shins and pushed back toward the center of the room. Apparently I did have some sort of idea of what I was doing as I dodged the Humanoids for a good half hour. I was starting to get cocky when i got slammed in the back by a humanoid I wasn't watching. Goddamn did that hurt! It drove the breath from my lungs but I couldn't stop because the more tired I got the more these humanoids fought harder. I couldn't stop dodging because I knew these things would not stop trying to kill me. I just knew it.

So I kept going. I had no clue how to fight nor did I even know if I could even do anything to these guys. I was getting very tired very quickly. I was reaching my limit and I was going to hit it like a wall. I needed to find some way to stop these things. That would mean going on the offensive, which 1) I wasn't good at 2) I didn't even know if it would work and 3) I probably shouldv'e done half an hour ago when I wasn't exhausted.

I jumped up and backward as the humanoid in front of me swiped downward with both hands. It hit the ground hard enough to break the ground cause its hands to get stuck. I used his hands and arms as a ramp up to his head. Standing on the shoulders of this thing I had maybe half a second before it got its hand free. I crouched down and held onto the head with my left arm for balance as I aimed as many punches as I could at its neck. After four or five hits the humanoid started to fall and I quickly jumped to the next to do the same thing to its buddies.

After ten minutes I was surrounded by fifteen unconscious humanoids. The lights went back to normal and all the bodies vanished when the final body hit the floor. The door opened to a very surprised Logan, Jean and Professor Xavier. There was also a few new people I hadn't yet met. A woman with shoulder length snow white hair and a tall guy with the coolest sunglasses I had ever seen.

"Hi," pant pant, "How's it goin'?"

I passed out. Honestly I'm surprised I didn't pass out sooner.

I woke up in the medical ward again. Only this time I didn't have nearly the amount of sensors. Thank goodness.

Jean Grey was staring at me as though I shouldn't exist. Logan, Snowy hair, and the guy with glasses all looked impressed. I couldn't place Charles' expression. He had his hands in his lap and a perfectly blank expression on his face. I didn't know how old he was but I could see all the lines of his face with absolute clarity.

"You keep surprising me son." He said. "The Danger Room was designed to give the premium training relative to the strength, speed and intelligence of the person or people that entered the room."

"So if a very weak, quick guy walks in the room he'll get weak quick opponents?"

"They would get a challenge equivalent to their skill set, yes."

"Then why did I get fifteen strong, slow guys?"

Logans jaw dropped. "You thought they were slow? Kid I couldn't even see them! Let alone you!"

Now I was confused. "What do you mean Logan?"

"Follow me! Charles is there a way to show him what we saw?"

"No there isn't but we can show his relative ability levels."

Logan and Charles led me to the door to the Danger Room. There Logan touched a panel on the wall which then lowered revealing a touch screen. Logan touched it a few times causing it to show different things. when he finally stepped away from the screen to show me what it showed. In the top left was "Blackstone,David" and going to the right was "Speed, Reflexes, Strength" and few more labels. Underneath each label was a column with numbers along each side.

"The top of each column is the best the Danger Room can handle." I looked at each of the columns. "Your speed and reflexes are maxed out." I couldn't tell where they stopped so i guess that was true. "Your strength and intelligence aren't maxed out but they do surpass the regular standards for someone your age weight and build. At least once the test began the Danger Room doesn't start measuring until the door closes. And it stops once the doors open again."

"Kid you were moving and reacting fast enough that the Danger Room couldn't keep up with you!"

"What does that even mean? I have no clue how fast you have to move to do that!"

"The Danger Room can keep up with an object that moves at five times the speed of sound." 

Thank you for reading this. Please leave a review telling me what you thought about this story.

Also feel free to leave potential chapter titles for this story. I'll pick the one I like the most and give credit to the person that named it.


	9. Chapter 9

What?

Seriously, what?

"... So I was moving at mach five. Why didn't I hear the sonic boom?"

"You were moving much faster than sound. You couldn't hear the boom because you were moving so much faster than the air carrying the sound. And also you were moving faster than mach five you might have been moving mach six we have no way of knowing."

"Why couldn't I tell that I was moving so fast?"

"Because there wasn't any frame of reference to compare to. The projections inside were moving almost as fast as you were and if you noticed there are no clocks inside of the Danger Room."

"So if I were to run past you than I would be able to tell?"

"Yes lets say you and Logan here were to race. If you gave him a sufficient start, say enough time to get to the center of the hall and you were to run passed him he would appear as though in slow motion."

"Cool."

"That is until you fully passed him and the cone of air you are dispersing knocks him down."

"Then it's hilarious."

"Hey! I'm right here." Logan interrupted.

"Relax man it's a joke!"

He grunted in response.

"I would like to see just how fast I am though. Is there any way of measuring that aside from maxing out the Danger Room?"

"Well I almost wish you could fly so that I could accurately measure the cone of air that would from behind you with out potentially harming anyone."

"Well maybe I should flap my arms." I said with sarcasm dripping from my voice. "Kidding of course, but really flying. I mean come on."

"I know almost as impossible as running five times the speed of sound." Logan said with equal amounts of sarcasm.

I turned to glare at him.

"It isn't impossible David. In fact I know one or two students who have the ability to fly."

"Next thing I know you'll be telling me that people can teleport!"

He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh come on!"

"Stranger things have happened." Said Charles' voice in my head reminding me of my increasing distance from my former, normal life. "Things are happening in your life that no one ever prepared you for. Things no one ever could have possibly prepared you for. That isn't doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Perhaps it could even be a good thing, that all depends on you." He said poking at my chest with his index finger. "You have got to keep an open mind about this, and I'm not talking about this."

Logan had gone back to his room and I hadn't kept an eye on anyone else. Xavier lead me back to his office again. This time he didn't levitate any books at my head and I didn't try and get into his.

"I'm certain you must be curious as to what the conversation between me and Jean was about."

"Me, I'm guessing"

"Yes. Jean and I are concerned about the ease in which you were able to not only force your consciousness out of your head but also how easily you were able to suppress mine and force your way in. Now before you start to try and defend yourself I'm not going to punish you because you didn't know what you were doing at the time. Also if I were to punish you I would have to punish myself as well."

"You've done it too Professor?"

"Yes, but I only managed to do so easily with years of practice. Decades even."

I was beginning to see the cause of his concerns in a much clearer light.

"Did you ever knock yourself out like I did?"

"No."

"Oh."

"But neither did you."

"What?"

"You didn't really loose consciousness not really, your body went into a state of sensory over load after your mind stopped regulating all of the inputs you naturally get."

"That makes sense."

"It also explains the screaming when Logan carried you to the Hospital Ward. You were feeling everything with such accuracy that even the slight edge of the hair on his arms would've felt like knives. And the pulsing of his veins would've hurt as well. And I can't even think of how the lights and sounds in the hall must've effected you." I could tell without him needing to say it that he was apologizing for the amount of pain I went through.

"It isn't your fault Professor, I had no clue what I was doing."

"Well that's what this school is really for. Helping gifted people learn how to control the powers and abilities they possess. A formal education is just a bonus."

"A very fine bonus."

"I thought so. And the state of New York believes so as well due to the funding they provide."

We continued talking about what the Professor thought the limits of my powers were and after we had talked that subject dry he started talking about his reasoning for the school and why he decided to help the students that came to him. After about three seconds it was plainly obvious that the only reason he even opened his doors to the students is because he had a heart that defied the size and state of his body. I felt a sort of pride in being able to know this man.

We continued talking until I could no longer keep my eyelids open.

"I must apologize for keeping you up so late. Also for never showing you your room."

"That's alright professor, no worries."

"Follow me please." He lead me back up the elevator and down two or three hallways to where I would be sleeping. Your bed is the second to last on the right side of the room. There should be a chest of drawers to the right of your bed with some clothes you can sleep in. At the foot of your bed is a chest you can put your belongings into."

"Thanks Professor. See you in the morning."

He nodded in response. "Sleep well."

"You too."

The pajamas were right where he said they would be. Both the pants and the shirt had the school crest emblazoned in a dark blue. The shirt was a size or two too small but the pants fit just fine. The bed was comfortable enough. For some reason I dreamt of pulsing waves of black and white that night.

Weird.

I woke up around eight the next morning. There was a ferret sleeping on my lap. I stayed still so the ferret wouldn't wake up and try to claw my eyes out. I'm kidding. But I figured that there wasn't any need for me to wake it up. It wasn't bothering me I wasn't going to bother it, why mess that up?

A young boy that looked about ten woke up from the bed to my left about ten minutes later. He had gray hair and blue eyes.

"Hey kid!" I whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Whose ferret is this?"

"I don't know. Maybe my sister knows."

"Great where's your sister?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think one of the other kids in here would know who this ferret belongs to?"

"I don't know."

The ferret woke up and stretched. It walked in a slow circle of my lap. After completing its little circuit it crawled under my hand. I started scratching its back absently for a second before looking up at the space the boy had just been occupying.

"Okay then?" I said. The ferret looked up at me with curious eyes. It was rather cute. It had light brown fur with slightly darker patches on its face. "Let's see about finding your owner."

The rest of the boys in the long room started waking up and as more of them woke up the more I realized that the boy with gray hair probably knew the most about the ferret. Who I figured out was actually a girl after it revealed its belly for me to scratch at.

I got dressed in my old clothes again realizing that I really needed to hit up a Wal-mart or something because I didn't want to spend another week in the same clothes. The ferret climbed onto my shoulder after I put my light gray jacket on.

I asked all of the other people I saw if they knew anything about the ferret who was making its home on my shoulders. No one knew anything even some of the adults I saw knew nothing about it. Weird. I went to the hidden elevator to ask the Professor if he knew anything about the ferret only to have the door open to the man himself.

"Ah David did you enjoy your night? I'm sorry but I really have to get to my class I'm a bit late. Follow me?"

I did. "I did have a good night I guess. I was wondering if you might know who owns this ferret? I woke up with her sleeping on my lap."

"I didn't even notice her until you pointed her out." He looked over at my back where the ferret was sitting in my hood. "I haven't seen that ferret before. And I make a point of knowing the name of every pet inside of my mansion."

"There are other pets here?"

"Yes there are dogs, cats, even a bird. But other than the one on your back no ferrets. She must've snuck in some time last night. I'll have one of the caretakers take a look outside of your room after I've completed my lessons."

I had a question on my mind but I didn't say it out loud. I didn't need to.

"Yes you can keep her if you want."

"Thanks professor." We had reached his classroom by then.

"Remind me later that I need to get you into the system so you can attend classes."

"Okay I'll try to remember that. Hey professor?"

"Yes?"

"Is it alright if I leave the mansion to go and get some new clothes? I've kind of been wearing these for at least a week."

"Of course I was going to recommend it myself but I didn't want to appear rude."

"Alright see you later Professor." I looked up at the class. There was a guy wearing an old timey black cloak with the hood up. Next to him was a girl wearing all white. I waved at the class stupidly and walked away.

The ferret climbed out of my hood onto my shoulder. I looked at it and she looked at me.

"I have no idea what I'm going to call you." It climbed back into my hood.

As always feel free to tell me what you thought of this story so far. I'm still hoping for someone to pitch in a good chapter title I'll be certain to give credit to the person who gave me the title. Also feel free to name the ferret if you like. Thanks for reading and be sure to tell your friends about it if you liked it.


	10. Chapter 10

I didn't know where to go. Didn't have anywhere to go. I put my hands in my pockets and realized I hadn't checked it for a while. I got it out and tried to turn it on. It was dead. I figured I'd go back to my room and pick up my charger but before I took my forth step in that direction I realized I had left it in my hotel room before I went out for coffee.

God that seems like ages ago. What was it three or four days? It's scared me that I couldn't keep track of what day it was. The fact that I was unconscious for a good portion of that time didn't help calm me at all.

_Hey Professor I can leave the mansion, right? I want to see if the hotel kept my things_.

_By all means go ahead! Do you have any way to get there? I don't believe the buses come around here._

_I didn't think about that._

_I'll ask Scott if he would be kind enough to take you._ A picture of Scott appeared in my head to remind me.

_Thanks Charles._

_My pleasure._

A few minutes later the visored man came walking toward me.

"David Blackstone, I don't believe we've had a chance to formally introduce ourselves." He extended his hand toward me. "I'm Scott, pleased to meet you."

"I'm still David, the feeling is mutual."

We made the short walk to the garage with a little meaningless conversation that ended when Scott noticed the ferret currently taking a nap inside my hood.

"Geez I didn't see that before!"

"What!" I didn't realize he was talking about the ferret and I swung my head around almost comically.

"That thing in your hood! It looks like a huge rat!"

Scott's shouting had woken the ferret and it stuck her head out of my hood and had a peek around, trying to locate what had woken her up I'm certain.

"She's a ferret. Use your eye."

"Ha-ha. You're a real funny guy."

"Hey, I thought it was funny."

"Whatever, what's her name then?"

"Haven't decided yet." He gave a questioning look. "I found her cuddled up on my lap this morning. No one owns her so I thought I'd keep her."

"Make sure she doesn't make a mess in my car."

She didn't. The ride from Xavier's school to my hotel was maybe forty minutes long. If that. My ferret couldn't go in the hotel with me so Scott volunteered to hold her while I got my things.

"Um, hello I checked into here about a week ago. And I got so caught up in all the…"

"Hey it's cool I understand, the aliens and everything. What's your name, I'll see if your thing are still there."

"Thanks! Uh it's David, David Blackstone."

"Alright says here you were in room 317?"

"That's right."

"Do you happen to still have your room key?"

I checked my wallet and surely enough I did. Surprisingly enough.

"Right here. I thought hotels sold the stuff in rooms of people that stayed without paying. I mean it was in the waiver that I signed, right?"

"Normally that is our policy but in light of all that's happened…" He let his words trail off. Nothing more needed to be said.

"Thanks man. Wait, why wouldn't my things still be there?"

"Tragedy sometimes brings out the best of us, like the Avengers, but usually it just turns everyone into a scumbag. Hell I should know, my car was stolen a day after the attack."

"That's rough."

"Yeah fortunately I live only about a half block away. My wife though, heh, she's a teacher and works all the way on the other side of the city. Anyway you aren't here to hear me blab. I'll see if your room was broken into."

"Thanks."

He walked from behind the counter. I turned around and where there was once a large couch and chairs there was the hard wooden floor. Sheesh that guy wasn't kidding, tragedy does bring out the worst in people. I leaned against the wall.

It wasn't that long before he returned saying that my door jamb wasn't broken and from what he could see my stuff was still there. I gave the guy a five as a tip and walked to the elevator. It was playing the same Muzak from when I checked in. Like he said my room was indeed not broken into. Though I couldn't say the same for the room next to mine. My stuff was right where I left it.

I put all my clothes into my suitcase and anything else I thought I should keep. I figured I'd let the hotel sell it and keep the profits. Wouldn't be much I suppose.

When I passed the guy at the front desk I told him as much.

I put my suitcase in the trunk of Cyclops' car. And he put my ferret back in my hood. "I really ought to figure out a name for you." I said.

"That'd probably be a good idea." Scott said. "Music?"

"Sure."

He turned on the radio onto a classic rock station. Renegade by Styx started shortly after.

"Oh mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law,

Law man has put an end to my runnin' and I'm so far from my home

Oh Mama I can hear you a cryin', you're so scared and all alone

Hangman's comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long.

Hey!

The jig is up, the news is out

They finally found me

The renegade who had it made

Retrieved for a bounty

Never more to go astray

This'll be the end today

Of the wanted man…"

"That's a decent name," I said in agreement with what I just said in my head. "That'll work."

"What Renegade?"

"No, Styx."

"Decent enough. If a bit peculiar."

"No more peculiar than those sweet shades, Cyclopes."

"Fair enough."

Crazy Train by Ozzy Osborne was next, then Carry on My Wayward Son by Journey, next came Crazy by Aerosmith. We were jamming out to Queens Bohemian Rhapsody when Scott's car came to a red light about ten minutes from the school. It was a long light. There was a minivan behind us. I could see in the rear view mirror a man and a woman in the front seat. The woman was the one driving and the man was turned around in his seat. I guess he was talking to his kids or whatever. It doesn't really matter though. What does matter is that there was a guy with his hood pulled down over his face walking to the door with his hand holding something in his pocket. The guy in the hood opened the passenger door and whispered something to the woman driving. He was holding them up! I could tell because he kept gesturing to his hidden hand. He had a gun in that pocket I'm certain. Styx could apparently read my mind because as soon as it clicked in my head what I was going to do she crawled out of my hood.

"The car behind us is getting stolen from." I told Scott.

"I see him. Stay in the car."

"Fuck that!"

"I'm not going to say it again."

"Then don't cause I'm not listening." We both got out of the car and headed to the van behind us. The guy with a gun wasn't paying attention to us, which was fortunate for the family in the car. Not so much him. I grabbed his hood and pulled him out of the car.

"I'm sorry sir, you appear to be getting into a car that isn't meant for you. Your car is black and white and has those spinning blue and red lights on the top."

"I don't think he meant to get in this car." Scott said.

"No I don't think so either. And I certainly don't think he is foolish enough to use that little gun of his on us."

"I don't know about that. He seems quite foolish." The crook said, pulling the not actually that little revolver out of his jacket pocket.

Scott looked like he was going to jump at either me or him.

"Hey Scott, do you know the average velocity of a bullet as it leaves the barrel of a gun?"

"F- Far too fast." He stuttered.

"And do you know how fast I can walk?"

"Shut up kid." The crook said through gritted teeth. "Get in the car, or I'll make you get in the car. You too Ray-Bans."

"Ray-Bans! Good one, why didn't I think of that?"

"Shut up kid! Get in the fucking van!" He rested the barrel of his gun on my forehead.

I acted like I was thinking about it. I even put my fist under my chin. "No thanks. But you know what here's what I want you to do, and I'd recommend you do it unless you want to know what the soles of your shoes taste like, I want you to unload your gun, disassemble it, put it on the ground, close this kind gentleman's door, and then find the closest police station. Tell them what you tried to just do and spend the next few years in a jail cell with a cellmate who likes to be called 'Daddy' as he slowly causes the circumference of your asshole to grow. In that order." I was getting a bit cocky but I figured I could take him.

That was until my eardrums exploded from the noise of the gun. You know how in television crime shows the bad guy can make a silencer out of almost anything? Yeah, well I can bullshit.

"Any other wise guys?" I could hear the crook say from the ground. He was waving the gun around like an idiot with his finger on the trigger. He wasn't looking at me. And everyone in the van had their eyes were trained on the still smoking gun like it was a conductors baton. Scott however was looking at me looking at him. His mouth was open in shock. I quickly put my finger over my lips in a 'shush' gesture. My forehead was bleeding as I grabbed the bullet and threw it at the now attempted murderer.

"Hey! That's how people get killed!" I stood up then. I could feel the blood from where the bullet had broken skin running down my face. I had to assume I looked like Death had come because the crook tripped over his own feet trying to get away from me. That would not do. I sprinted in front of him and planted my feet so that when he ran into me I didn't fall flat on my ass. That freaked him right out and he ran at a 90 degree angle to his right. I played my little game of pinball for two or three more collisions before he realized he had a mostly loaded gun in his hand.

He emptied the gun into my chest in a vain attempt to stop me. When the last bullet struck my sternum I was on the ground due to the impact of the bullets. I grabbed the hand holding the gun and felt two or three of his bone break when I squeezed.

"What did I say I wanted you to do again?" I whispered as he cried out in agony. "It doesn't matter because now I want you to run." He wasn't listening so I kicked him. "I said I wanted you to run!** Run away because the immortal is angry!**"

"David!' I heard Scott scream.

"What?!" When I turned my head I noticed that I had gathered a crowd of terrified people. They must've heard the gunshots. My anger dissipated quickly.


End file.
